Why I Love Running

Sometimes I am asked what it is about running that I love so much. I always pause, taken aback by the question, as if I am being asked why I love my husband, my family, my friends, or my cat.

I just do.

But after probing more into my instinctual and immediate response, I start to realize that there are many reasons why I love to run. The answer I give you will depend on the day, the distance, the time, my mood, my body, my sleep, and various other factors.

Today the reason I ran was for mental health.

I knew that today’s run would serve the purpose of boosting my mental health and centering me. Today I just craved a run like nothing else.

I’m running towards inner peace. I’d like to think I get there a bit more with each run.

Inner peace is one of the goals I strive for each and every day. It is not always through running that I try to get there; sometimes it is through writing, baking, reading, meditating, cracking jokes, walking, or being with my loved ones. The desire for inner peace was one of the main reasons why I ended up leaving an unfulfilling career and branching out on my own.

I think inner peace is a lovely goal. And running helps me get there.

I have also been asked by frustrated readers how they can learn to enjoy running. Sometimes the answer I give seems a bit odd:

I remember the day that hooked me on running. It was during my first 10k race in June 2009. I had been running on and off since August 2008, but I never understood why anyone could enjoy 30 minutes of breathless agony. What kind of strange people were they, I would wonder.

This 10k course was a brutal one, filled with menacing hills around every bend or turn. I laugh about it now, but at the time I was running on steam.

6km-7km: It was hot, but I was truly loving every minute of the race. Each time someone passed me, it motivated me to dig deep within myself and find an extra ounce or two of strength. I thought a lot about Chris during these 2 kilometers and I found myself getting quite emotional in the moment. I teared up at one point as I was so overcome with emotion. I think it had been building for so long now. All of the emotions from my injury were finally being let go. The 2 months when I couldn’t even do yoga let alone cardio exercise affected me more than I realized. I felt free, and yes, while I was panting, and grunting, and feeling sometimes like I was going to die going up a hill, in some odd way I felt so alive. I thought about what Chris must have gone through with his cancer and coming to grips with the fact that he wasn’t going to make it to his thirties. Suddenly everything I was feeling sort of went numb. A tear dropped off my face and I didn’t feel any tiredness anymore. I didn’t curse the hills, I didn’t worry about my time, heart rate, or pace…and I am not sure if the music was on or off.

I just ran.

And this is why I love to run.

The ability to take your emotional junk and leave it on the pavement is something I have not found in anything else but through running. For some it is yoga or walking or skydiving, but for me it is running.

Today’s long run wasn’t really about improving my physical endurance or training for a half marathon. I mean, of course it was to an extent, but really, all I wanted to do was clear my mind and reclaim my inner peace.

I love that question. I get it all the time. I am never really able to give a good answer. To really love it, you have to want it and all it entails. I also find my inner peace in running. You are only there to compete with yourself. You can talk to yourself and figure out your thoughts or just let it all go. My favorite runs are those that when you finish you have no idea what course you took. You just made it home…

I LOVE this post!! I run because I love it too. I’ve always loved it, even when I was an on and off “only in the summer months” runner. Of course, it took awhile for me to understand what I love about it, but its therapy for me. I run for my sanity, and for the sanity of everyone who has to deal with me. My mom has always been a runner, and when I was younger she said to me once that “running is when I do some of my best thinking”. I thought she was crazy then, but now I know exactly what she means, and have stolen that line and called it my own many times.

I run because it is something that I can do for fitness and my health but also because I love that I can track my progress and constantly work towards new goals (fater times, further distances, more hill repeats etc) I also love running because of the community that you enter into. Runners are so supportive of one another and the competitive element isn’t me versus them but me versus former me.

I completely agree with you. Reading your post was like reading my own thoughts on running. I run for clarity, inner peace, and the feelings of strength and happiness it brings me. It doesn’t matter what I feel like before the run, I always feel better after, even after a bad run. I also cry, I am SUCH a crier at races, every single freakin’ race!! It is so emotional for me, which is odd because I really not a crier normally. Dave was shocked the first time he saw me cry at a race :) That is why I love it.

Yea! A running post! ;) I love running because it’s just me. No one is in my ear telling me what to do (bosses, etc.). The reports, dishes, laundry can wait. It’s my time. Just me and the pavement/trails. I might regret not going for a run, but I NEVER regret getting out there and going for any length of a run. :)

Beautiful post!
My inner peace comes from riding my horse; just Chika and I alone, going through the countryside, or even just being with her in the stable, Her face, her ear twitches, her smell, her skin..I just adore her! And feel SO at peace with her :)

Love this! I run primarily for mental health and clarity. I’m a relatively new runner and I love how it positively affects my mood and outlook on life. Even on rest days, my mood is affected because I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s run. :)

Spoken so well and so true! Running is the one exercise I crave. Sure I love others but running gives me a sense of going beyond anything I ever thought I was possible of. I’m not the best at it but I love it none the less.

I’d like to offer tips on how to learn to like running……. Just take the pressure off. Have absolutely no expectations. And take walk breaks whenever you want them.

Ideally, start outside on a trail, a beautiful road or beautiful neighborhood. Next, start running, and whenever you feel like you don’t want to run anymore, just stop, and start walking. Then when you feel like you could run again, start running, and when you want to walk, then walk, and so on and so forth.

Do this one to three times a week for at least 30 minutes and I bet you that after one month you will love going on your runs and look forward to them!

Wow. Thank you! No one has ever put it to me that way – not even my husband who has been running for years. One of the reasons I want to run is because of how exhilarating it seems – beautiful scenery and letting everything out on the road like Angela mentions. I am going to try this. You have no idea what this means to me!

I’ve been doing it for a week now and every time I get tired of running, I walk. And then run again. I take my phone with me and listen to the radio and when there is a commercial, I walk and then when some inspiring music is playing, I spring up. I used to think that I hate running and it’s not for me. But Angela with her love for running inspired me and I decided to give it a try. Like you, I’m attracted to the idea of beautiful scenery and inner piece. I also have a dream to run marathon one day.

I love this post. I was just thinking the same thing today. I was going to go for a run this morning but it was raining…don’t like to run in the rain in Calgary..sorry! I was really looking forward to my run today but I manged to fit it in later on in the afternoon. I really needed to just hit the pavement and go! I put my son in his Chariot (running stroller) and went for it. It felt great…I love to run. It gives me peace and time to think and I always feel great afterwards.

what a lovely post, very inspiring. I find peace in running and baking, in equal measures, both give me precious time out of a busy life and let me just do what i do with no interferences from external sources, esp running on this count,i dont take my phone or anything with me, its just ME TIME pure unadulterated ME TIME! bliss, i tell you, bliss!!

Love this post! It made me realize how much I like to run but heres my problem I’m out of shape (like 15 pounds heavier) and I don’t know where to start. I decided that I want to do a half marathon by January though I don’t know how I should start training for it.. I’m thinking a mile at a time could do but I don’t know.. sorry about the rant. I love your blog.

Darlin, you CAN run no matter what your weight is! I started running for the first time this past January and completed a half-marathon in May! When I started, I was 10-15 pounds heavier than I was when I completed my race.

My advice? Check out a couch to 5K plan. You can find one online, or you can download them to your iPhone, Android phone, and iPod Touch (I bet they are available on other phones too, but I am just not sure which ones). I started with a Couch to 5K plan and then did a beginner’s half-marathon plan. You can do it!

This should definitely go into your list of all time favorite posts. I’ve been feeling so frustrated with running lately (it seems like running = bad things lately for me — “if one thing doesn’t go wrong, it’s a miracle!”), but maybe it’s me struggling with finding peace with myself. Definitely food for thought.

Question about the camelbak and sports drinks–how do you clean yours?! I haven’t put anything in mine other than water, because I am afraid bad things will grow in it if I start to put in tea, juice, sports drinks, etc.

I love running for the same reason! It calms me down, makes me feel at peace and helps me to overcome stress, which is why I like running alone. There’s really no better feeling than a solitary early morning run as the sun is rising or evening run as the sun dips down (especially if it’s at a beach – which I’m not usually near!) – breathtaking!

I do, however, also love the feeling of getting fitter and stronger, and I’ve somehow convinced my brother and husband to run their first half marathons with me next May, so I’m looking forward to doing some of my training with them. :-)

What a great post. There’s a magic in running; I think that you have to do it consistently for a few months to really get to that magic spot and then it becomes something you HAVE to do. I mean that in a healthy way….like breathing or eating or sleeping it becomes part of you. I go out every morning at 5 before my husband goes to work….it energizes me, wakes me up, relaxes me, reduces anxiety, gives me more patience for my children and overall makes me a better person, mother, wife. I think in a way, like dreams, it helps you process your emotions. On top of all THAT, you also get a killer metabolism and great legs!

For me finding inner peace involves a lot of different methods. Sometimes running isn’t always an option because I don’t have enough time or enough motivation or it’s raining? All of my “tricks of the trade include: running (best used when I’m angry and have a lot of antsy energy), yoga (best used when I’m stressed or tense or to reclaim some energy for the day), weightlifting (also good for when i’m angry or need an extra boost of confidence), meditation and prayer (best for when I just need some time to vent to God and seek his guidance). Normally I can always find some way to work one of these into my schedule as I need them. It’s not to say every time I do one of these, I must be having a bad day or something, but I find I am also much better able to handle my emotions, PMS, bad days when I’ve made these activities a part of my routine:) And I TOTALLY understand what you mean about running being an emotional catharsis. I certainly feel like it could be a form of therapeutic intervention.

I call running ‘chasing demons’! If there is something difficult occurring in my life, there will definitely be insight gained or the problem will be solved by the end of the run! It is also during my runs where I dream bug dreams:)

It’s probably cliche and over-used, but even so, I find my inner peace through blogging. I started my blog about three months ago. It was the time I had just finished up my Master’s and was at a stale point in my career – there were no jobs in my field to be found. I felt hopeless and unfulfilled. My current job isn’t bad, but still left with a void, which I found through blogging. And not just my blog, reading inspiring blogs like yours and becoming apart of a community of others who think and feel similar to me – that’s where I find my inner peace.

Such a great post. I’m not a great runner…I’m not fast, no super long distances…but I love the experience of it. I lost my mom to brain cancer 5 years ago, and recently ran a race benefitting a cause related to that. I felt fine at first, but half a mile in I burst into tears. I kept on, ugly-cry-face and all, and felt so great afterwards. I wish everyone could experience that in their runs!

This post makes me so happy! Seriously, I’m going to bed early tonight so I can get up and run run run like the wind. :) I’m so thankful I was able to meet you last weekend– you’re definitely one of my greatest role models!!!!

I was just talking to a girlfriend today about how when I had to give up running (long distances…because of my back injury), I felt like I lost my best life-coping mechanism. Sure, there are other positive outlets (like cooking, blogging, writing, etc.), but nothing compares to that heart pounding, sweating RELEASE of a run.

I’ve known people who seems to have all the materials and wealth they need for a lifetime and when asked on their birthdays what they wish for, they say they wish for “inner peace”. That’s something nobody else can give you, it has to come from within.

That’s a really good goal to have Angela. I’m glad you found a path towards that goal thru running. I’m sort of in the same journey :)

What a beautiful post! I feel exactly the same way! Often I tell people I don’t know why I love running (I used to hate it), but it’s those emotional releases and moments of pure inner peace that make it something I love. I had a run like this yesterday when all of the sudden “It’s a Beautiful Day” came on my Ipod and the sun was sparkling on the waves and I was filled with so much gratitude and happiness. THAT is why I run. Because sometimes running opens you up to the raw truth…love. :)

Right now I’m training for my first ever 10km so it was awesome hearing about your first ever 10km! Some days when i’m running I feel exhausted and have to take it one minute at the time but in the end I always finish my run knowing I’ve done the best I can and am overwhelmed at how proud of myself I feel. I have never got such a strong feeling from any other type of workout. I also feel that if I’m having a really negative/down day and I run… at some point in the run I feel everything go quiet. Running calms me, it makes my mind go quiet. Some days, it takes 15 minutes, other days 2 minutes. I feel like I’ve been bitten by the running bug and I don’t see myself hanging up my running shoes once I complete my first race.

Well said, Angela. I find peace through running. It serves as a release for my emotions. I also love the joy I get from running with others. The embrace of the running community is so warm and welcoming. I’m glad you enjoyed your long run today.

I don’t know if I have found inner peace yet, but dancing is something that just fills me up with happiness. I love feeling the music and moving my body, especially in movement that is truly my own. I love it because it challenges me mentally and physically, but I feel like a star at the same time. Performing for me is addictive, but I feel the best when I perform only for me, not for anybody else. Like after a long, sweaty, late night practice, and I am so tired, but then I get into it, and I am revitalized.

I’m still looking for inner peace. I know I’ve enjoyed bouts of it before, but it’s been a while and right now I cannot recall how I found it when I did. I know even the healthiest, most centered people fall out of balance and loose that sense of inner peace from time to time, but I’ve been off balanced for so long I can’t remember the circumstances surrounding those times when I was centered, grounded, healthy. *sigh* I’m trying though, still trying, I won’t give up. I’ll keep running :)

I run because I can. I am probably a bit older than most of you and I know a day will come that running might not be an option. I don’t want to look back and say coulda woulda shoulda and wish I had been more active. I feel blessed that my body has not failed me and I am hoping it won’t anytime soon.

How do I find my inner peace…? I have been thinking about this question every day for the past three years. I still haven’t found my place or real direction since graduating college… Some days, I know that’s ok, I’m still young, I will eventually, and I need to just let go to figure it out. But more days, I feel stressed, anxious, and like if I continue going how I’m going, I will never find my way.

I have found it on my yoga mat, with my older instructor and her sweet, gentle voice like an everything-will-be-alright bedtime story. I’ve been overwhelmed with it through and through.

But most times, I find it over an hours-long conversation with one of my closest friends. They’re usually in less than beautiful locations, like our dorm rooms years ago, my bedroom floor, a dingy diner over a cup of coffee… I always walk away feeling like no matter the situation one of us is going through, it’s obvious that everything will end up ok, I’m reminded of who I am, and that the people closest to me are always my home no matter where I am.

Hey Angela… I just want you to know how you have inspired me to ‘get my glow back.’ I just decided to start a blog about my own journey as well. I think you rock and hope you will check my blog out when you get a minute… I am new and learning how to do it, but it is something I am excited about. glowvegglow.blogspot.com

It’s amazing how different people find what they love in different things. Some find peace in comic books, others sky diving.. :P Personally, I’ve never been a huge runner but I did get into it for a while, running a few 5Ks here and there until my knees said ‘no more.’ Since then I’ve kept the running light and on a treadmill. But it is such a great way to find peace. There’s a few things that I find my peace in..mainly horseback riding (and spending time with animals in general), weight lifting (weird I know, but I love it), and yoga (no surprise there!) . :)

Hi Angela! I have been reading your blog for quite a while now, and just “came out of hiding” and have even started my own blog with my best friend! i love reading your posts, feeling inspired, and knowing that others are dealing with the same issues as i am. loved your post today on running—similar to how i feel about the gym and yoga. it just takes me to a place where everything is alright in the world (at least for that hour haha). anyways, just wanted to introduce ourselves and i hope you can read our blog!

What a wonderful post. I totally get what you mean about running. I first tried running a year ago and I hated it. I was doing it for all the wrong reasons. I took it up again in spring this year and now I love it! It’s just time to be by myself with my thoughts and not let anything worry me. The peace it brings is why I don’t really worry too much about increasing my pace or distance. I just love to be outside running and I look forward to every single run.

Loved your post… running is exactly what gives me inner peace. It’s such an amazing feeling, getting done with a 10-miler and feeling absolutely, 100% at peace with yourself and your surroundings. I, too, am in love with running and will be forevermore! :)

It is great to read the comments as I am doing my FIRST 5K run/walk next Sunday in Calgary. This is special to me as my daughter and I are doing it together (she lives in Calgary and I live in Ontario). My daughter runs a lot, however, I am new to the sport of running. I have learned a lot from reading this blog and use Angela’s motivational words during my practise run/walks. Keep up the good work and thank you to everyone!

What a great post, it really makes so much sense! I wish I was a runner, I think the thing that is holding me back is fear, fear of what? I have not figured out!! One foot in front of the other! It is my goal and has been for awhile, you have inspired me along with all the other blogs who love to run to try it again! Thank you!!! :)

Great post – very inspiring! I would not say I love to run, but I do like it. Hopefully I can learn to love it as I improve. I used to run a few times a week, then I got lazy and now I am starting back at it. I have a beautiful farm across from my house with the best trails, so I have no excuse not to go. I was actually sitting here eating breakfast, thinking about going for a run this morning, when I came to this blog and read this post. I’m definitely going out for a run now! Thanks for the push :)

Well I am back from my run, and guess what?? Started crying while running – that has never happened to me, you jinxed me! It was a great run though, a lil rain and overcast skies, met up with some nice doggies on the trail, and hung out with some cows. Sweet.

This post made me cry Angela, mental sanity and peace is exactly why I love to run as well. Too be honest running is one of the things that has improved my marriage. When I’m not active I am plagued with mood swings and PMS symptoms but running evens it all out and makes me feel alive. I loved running as a little girl. I used to sprint back and forth the farm yard practising how fast I could go and even now when I run I feel like that little girl again. I feel like me. Sometimes I even feel like I’m flying. FREE!

Yes! I totally heard you on this post. I haven’t been running recently due to my work/school schedule and then the hot Texas heat in the evening. But I am getting back to it now that I’ll be going to school full-time. I have missed the runs that let me “run out” my problems, think over them… and the runs that I don’t think on at all, except for about the run itself, my music and the nature around me. “Leaving it all on the pavement” is a great way to describe why I love to run, too. Thanks for the great post!

wonderful post! i just started running – well, 6 weeks ago – and your blog actually was part of the inspiration to start. i love running and i get emotional thinking about what running means and how amazed i am at what my body can do. thank you!

Angela, this is a lovely and heartfelt post. I want to add something (not to take away from your discussion, but to add)…
I think that many people who run actually need to ask themselves not what they are running toward, but what they are running from.
One thing I love about running (although I don’t run anymore) is its accessibility. In Canada, it takes a lot of money to enroll your kids in hockey, deal with odd ice times and shell out the cash for all of that equipment. You are almost guaranteed to be enclosing your kids in sports communities that represent very narrow sections of the socio-economic spectrum. Running, on the other hand, requires only a pair of shoes (and not even that, for many people). Any one, from any walk of life (health permitting) can put one foot in front of the other :)

Love this post, Angela! And a perfect thing to read on the morning of an evening race (Midsummer NIghts Run 15k! Eek!)!!!

How do I find my own inner peace? Oddly enough, housework! I think cleaning up the house and cooking great dinners puts me very much at peace. I’m lucky to live where I live and have the opportunity to make the things that I do and when I clean I’m always remembered of that.

Through running, walking, and journaling I work towards finding my inner peace. Some days all I need is a long walk, other days it’s a grueling run that does it for me. Either way, it’s important to me to work towards that inner peace and find something centers me every day.

Running used to mystify me! I didn’t understand WHY people would do something that is so hard. It took me a long time to get to where I am, but wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. Two weeks ago I broke my toe and couldn’t walk, let alone run. I was devastated! I was so bummed! Eventually it lead to a no-run funk. I was so cranky and irritable. Nothing cheered me up and my foot hurt! A few days ago I embarked on a run (on the treadmill of course!) and it was awesome! Yesterday I ran 3 miles, which for me is far. It’s like every neuron in my brain reconnects when I run, things are where they are supposed to be!

I find my inner peace not really through exercise but in writing. Whenever I am stressed or feel overwhelmed I write and almost immediately feel better. Sometimes it is a journal or simply a piece that channels what I am feeling. I always feel lighter afterwards and then am able to move on.

I’m still searching for the exercise that will help me find inner peace. Last year I tried running a little bit and was amazed at how clear headed, free, and powerful I felt for the first time in my life. Then I gained thirty pounds and running became painful and burdensome. (I’m not sure if I’m using correct form.) I start trying to run again when my husband and I buy a treadmill for our home (the weather will get really nasty here soon, and it isn’t safe to run outside without proper gear.) In the mean time I’ll keep searching for inner peace.

First of all, love your blog! I also love your last post, especially the excerpt from your 10K. Back in December, I went through a very traumatic experience which left me a physical mess (first steps with a walker and a person on either side of me). I went from running and weight lifting, to being unable to sit on the toilet without help. (details on the “about me” section of my blog) I remember wondering if I’d ever be able to run again, and I missed it so much. There are many times during runs now that I think back to the difficulties of those recovery months, and am so THANKFUL that I can run!!!

This post gave me chills, right after the part that you asked about crying or getting goosebumps on a run! I have definitely felt very emotional and a bit choked up during a race. Most days I am just so thankful that I am able to run!

i was just hoping you could comment on your progress with pace. I’m proud of my 12 minute mile, but I’m wondering how long it took you to get down to an 8 minute mile. And how you balanced endurance with taking breaks… I feel accomplished when I’ve been able to run 20 minutes non-stop, but would breaking to walk after ever mile or so help improve my pace? I’ll google all this, but I’d love to hear more about your personal journey!

I really hope I love running as much you do someday :) it seems they’re about 60% great, 40% grueling. I’ll keep going until I crave it though!

Angela,
Your post could not have come at a better time. I am just really getting into running, heck, jogging, and it is hard. I don’t know what I’m doing half the time or why. I guess you put into words how I want to feel about it. Thanks for the inspiration!

I really love this post. For me running is a way to focus on what is important- aka breathing. When I run, I can let go of whatever is bothering me and just focus on my breath, its a very calming experience. Since I’m currently out with a (recovering) sprained ankle, I’m relying on Bikram Yoga for much the same thing. These two elaborate breathing exercises are great stress killers for me :)

I often tell my boyfriend he’s lucky that I love long distance running! It is the best way to get alllll your emotional junk out and be able to think clearly about anything and everything. If you think crying is stress relieving try crying on a run ;)

I love this post! moving meditation, for the 2 hours a day that i’m out running my mind is free, im not thinking about what has to be done later on in the day or things that have happened earlier, you just run, pure serenity! ,

Great post!! I definitely find my inner peace on some killer runs! And there are some times when I come home, and my husband just sees the look on my face and says “you going for a run?” without me even saying anything. Its so good for my soul :)

I too, get asked about running. I came about running late in life, when I was 24. I never thought of myself as a runner and always told people I couldn’t do it. I was an avid exercise person, I just did everything else. Then one day I went out on a run with my husband and two of my girlfriends and ran 4 miles without thinking anything of it. The key – pacing myself which my husband taught me. Now, I run for that inner peace. Nothing clears my mind like a good run.

You have a beautiful gift to inspire and touch people through your writing. Everything about this post is beautiful!!! This is exactly what you should be doing….writing and sharing with all of us! Thanks for putting your heart and soul into your blog every single day :)

Amazing post Angela! I’ve been getting more & more intrigued by running. Your post re-affirms why I have been leaning more towards it. I struggle everyday with that inner peace. To improve my mental health, why, that would be all the reason I need to begin.

What a FABULOUS post, Angela!! I love it! My brain is shutting down at this time of night (I know, I’m so wild on a Saturday… ;)), so I don’t have any great feedback to give, but I had to tell you how wonderful this post is.

Firstly, love your blog. i’ve been a loyal reader for about a year now, it’s the first one i check in my list of blogs i check in the morning. I loved this post as I often get asked why I run. You’re very inspiring and you have a great creative mind when it comes to your recipes. Lovely photos too :)

I have been reading your blog for a while and LOVE it! I am a phd student and i think your best post was where your wite about your career change! Will comment on that soon! I read your race reports and just signed up for a 5k next Sunday ( thanks to you)! So excited!!!

I must admit this post was difficult for me to read. I never liked running until this year. And then almost over night it became my stress reliever and something I looked forward to everyday. I started training for my first half marathon and about a month into my training I suffered a stress fracture in my right hip. That was back in April and I haven’t been able to run since. I am still recovering from that and am uncertain if I will be able to run again. I never thought I would miss running so much!

I have got back into swimming , I used to swim at a national level and too a 20 year break ! I swim long distances and find that after a few lengths I have settled into a swim rhythm and then I can let my mind get into a rhythm to – I leave the pool grounded and centred and its a great stress reliever !

I love running because it gives me several things: 1) it gives me alone time, 2) it gives me the chance to look at my surroundings, 3) it lets me see where my legs can take me and 4) I always feel healthier after I run! :) Thank you for this post – it reminded me of why I love running since I got really, really burnt out after my June marathon. That was not a kind distance for me, and subsequently I found that my happy distance is 7-15 miles (depending on the day)!

Since I was a child, I have always been unhappy. As a child, I always felt lonely, worried, panicky, & guilty. I thought when I grew up, all these emotions would go away & I would become “normal” & happy like other people. When this didn’t happen as I reached 18, I thought it would happen after I entered University. When this didn’t happen, I thought it would happen after I graduated and got a job. And it didn’t happen again. There were moments I felt happy but they were temporary, and even during those periods, I still felt anxious & panicky. The only true exception was when I was with Daifook. I felt soooo loved. I felt secure and that I could handle any challenges when I was with him. I still remember that after many years of absence, I started praying again thanking God for blessing me with Daifook. That happened on a Sunday. Daifook passed away on the following Wednesday during his prime. I looked around & eventually came to the realization that those who are not happy as a child will not be happy as an adult either. And at 41, I didn’t think it is possible for me to change and become happy anymore.

Parallel to my failure to search for happiness is my failure to make any breakthrough in running. Running is the only sport/task I have tried from time to time throughout my life. And I could never break the 1-mile mark – not even during my prime.

This April, I just suddenly decided that I would try to run a 5k race one day – i.e. to do something I could never manage. And somehow, various people just showed up for a flash at the right time to help me push thru’ each barrier. So, suddenly, I was running 5K, then 10K, then 10 miles, and a half-marathon. Every distance had been impossible for me. But somehow, each of these impossible distances has happened to me personally even though my life is “supposed” to go downhill at my age. And isn’t life a marathon? Perhaps, I will also find happiness and peace that far exceed my expectation one day – just like how it has happened in running.

That’s why I started to run all these distances. Then, along the courses, I have encountered much beauty; they are bonuses I had not expected. Some of the beauty is captured on my blog so that I can remember. These bonuses give me even more reasons

quick question – i’m soon to return to running after almost two years off and i’m trying to get my head and life organized. when returning to running (or starting from scratch), do you think it’s more helpful (mentally and physically) to focus on distance (setting weekly/monthly/whatever goals for how much distance covered with each run) or time (how much time spent out there with each run)?